French Polynesia will put a limit on the number of annual visitors
When it comes to honeymooners, or dream travel, the first destination that jumps to mind is [...]
When it comes to honeymoon, or dream travel, the first destination that jumps to mind is the French Polynesia. A small paradise, smelling of romance and relaxation, crystal-clear waters and the whitest of beaches. However, going to Bora Bora and environs may become a bit complex. French Polynesia will put a limit on the number of annual visitors, in support of sustainable tourism.
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The initiative is part of the Fāri'ira'a Manihini 2027 (FM27) strategic mission., whose goal is to set an annual limit of foreign tourists per resident. Limit that, by 2027, must be of 280,000 tourists (1 visitor per 1 inhabitant). It remains to be seen, however, whether the count of foreign visitors will include the French. Polynesia is in fact an overseas collectivity of France, which is why anyone with a French passport should not be considered a foreigner.
But let's see, in more detail, how it will become to travel to Bora Bora, Mo'orea, Tahiti and all the "lesser" locations.
French Polynesia will put a limit on the number of annual visitors: details
The FM27 document recognizes that tourism is an important source of employment and income for residents. However, the visitor limit and other changes will lead to a more thoughtful type of tourism. With such a plan, the government aims to "diversify the types of visitors, allow economic growth to be reconciled with environmental conservation, quality of life of the people and preservation of local heritage."
The goal is for a transition to a model of inclusive and sustainable tourism. But why will Polynesia put a limit on the number of annual visitors while not having an overtourism problem? According to the latest data, French Polynesia welcomed about 300,000 visitors in 2019, the highest number ever. It has therefore decided to look to some virtuous models, such as the Buthan, a perfect example of what can happen when tourism is carefully controlled by the government.
Currently, the Central Asian country charges a Sustainable Development Fee of $200 per night per tourist, and reinvests that money in education and health care for the local population. Without going as far as such high fees, there are many European destinations that have decided to limit the influx of tourists. Just look at Venice, which has decided to introduce a daily fee of €3-10 from 2023.
Not just Polynesia: the Louvre's decision.
French Polynesia will put a limit on the number of annual visitors, but it will not be the only one. The latest similar initiative comes from France. The Louvre, the world's busiest museum, will now allow admission to "only" 30,000 visitors per day, to ensure more comfortable visits and to enable staff to work at their best.
Before the pandemic, the Paris museum was reaching up to 45,000 daily visitors.
